Helminths of Mustelids with Overlapping Ecological Niches: Eurasian Otter (Linnaeus, 1758), American Mink Schreber, 1777, and European Polecat Linnaeus, 1758.

This study presents the helminthological data on three mustelid species with overlapping ecological niches in Lithuania. In general, 14 helminth species or higher taxa were reported from all mustelids: , metacercariae, , mesocercariae, , , , sp., , , , , , and Nematoda g. sp. The largest number of helminths was detected in (11) and (10) from wetlands; 7 helminths were detected in from forests, and 8 in and 4 in from water bodies. Habitat-related differences were found in the abundance and prevalence of in . has higher indices of infection by , metacercariae, and compared to in wetlands. Differences in the abundance and prevalence of among and in water bodies have been observed. Helminths detected in in the present study are native European parasites.